9 Day Kenya: Lewa Wilderness and Mara Nyika Safari
Countries: Kenya
Destinations: Laikipia , Masai Mara
Group Size: 2
Duration (days): 9
Days of Departure: Any Day
Number of Adults: 2
Number of Children: 0
Days of Departure: Any Day
This fabulous 9 day safari includes two of the top wildlife viewing areas in Kenya, the Laikipia and Masai Mara. Ideal for those seeking a more exclusive experience, both camps are situated within private conservancies. This ensures a quieter safari, away from the crowds.
Itinerary Outline
| Day | Location | Accommodation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laikipia | Lewa Wilderness |
| 2 | Laikipia | Lewa House |
| 3 | Laikipia | Lewa Wilderness |
| 4 | Laikipia | Lewa Wilderness |
| 5 | Masai Mara | Mara Nyika Camp |
| 6 | Masai Mara | Mara Nyika Camp |
| 7 | Masai Mara | Mara Nyika Camp |
| 8 | Masai Mara | Mara Nyika Camp |
| 9 | Day of Departure |
Day 1 : Laikipia
On arrival at the airport, you’ll be met by a driver after you’ve collected your bags. You will then be transferred to Wilson Airport. Here you will catch your flight to Lewa Downs Airstrip. On arrival you will be met and transferred to Lewa Wilderness Lodge.
Kenya
Kenya - The grand old dame of African safaris, Kenya has been at the forefront of the industry for decades, and with iconic reserves such as Masai Mara, Amboseli, Samburu and Tsavo, it has earned its place in safari royalty.
Kenya's wildlife is legendary, as is its hospitality, friendliness, and scenic beauty. With the Great Rift Valley running through the country, Kenya is home to some stunning landscapes, with lakes, valleys and mountains adding to the beautiful plains of the Masai Mara.
To add to the spectacular wildlife, Kenya is one of the best countries to experience the local tribes and cultures, in particular the Masai and Samburu.
Kenyan roads are notoriously bad however, so the majority of safaris we recommend are fly-in options to the various parks. The small group scheduled safaris all operate by road, so you would need to be prepared for what is called "the African massage".
The diversity of areas to visit in Kenya is astounding, with each game reserve offering something truly unique. And to top it off, the country has a splendid coastline which invites some pure relaxation after spending time in the bush.
Laikipia
It is always gratifying when conservation efforts truly pay off, and the Laikipia Plateau is a place of much excitement!
Originally extensive farmland, a huge effort has succeeded in reclaiming much of the land between the slopes of the Aberdares and the snowy peaks of the mighty Mount Kenya. The area now boasts the second highest concentration of wildlife in Kenya - the Masai Mara topping the list!
Divided up into private concessions, the Laikipia Plateau consists of accommodation in tented camps, as well as lavish bush homes, allowing for a wonderful personalised experience.
Lewa Wilderness
The beauty of Lewa Wilderness isn’t just in the incredible scenery and wildlife explored daily with game drives – but in the wealth of activities and experiences to be had at every turn. Situated on the edge of one of Kenya’s most private wildlife and environmental conservation projects, the wildlife-rich Lewa provides guests a home-away-from-home experience that’s hard to find these days.
When you arrive at the lodge, you’ll immediately feel like you’re with family. Just nine exclusive rooms dot the Lewa Wilderness landscape. Six cottages are tucked into the hillside overlooking the sprawling Eastern Marania Valley, plus a further three garden cottages that are cozy yet expansive are set amongst the beautiful lawn.
At Lewa Wilderness we go beyond the game drive, with exceptional wildlife and wilderness viewing opportunities. From the traditional game viewing vehicles (we’ve recently converted one of our Landcruisers to be 100% electric), to guided walks and breathtaking scenic flights in our retro yellow WACO bi-plane to unforgettable horse riding safaris for all ages and levels and even camel riding and fly camping.
As a guest with us, you are automatically supporting the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, renowned for both its pioneering conservation initiatives as well as community and education programs.
Our welcoming and intimate lodge is especially favored amongst families and couples looking for adventure that has a great deal more heart. Lewa Wilderness prides itself on having many guests return year after year, arriving as friends – and leaving as family.
Day 2 - 4 : Laikipia
Activities here are plentiful and include game drives, fantastic walks, cultural excursions, birding, night drives and horse riding.
Lewa House
Lewa House is set on top of a hill with an engaging panoramic view of the rolling landscape of the Lewa Conservancy, and overlooks the luggas (valleys) and hills, with the horizon rising to the eye-catching views of the Mathews range and the sacred mountain of the Samburu, Mount Ololokwe.
The accomodation at Lewa House is in the form of cottage style rooms which are spread out along the hillside, all looking to the expanse of wilderness to the north. There are 3 of the original thatched family cottages, each comprising of two en-suite rooms and a large shared veranda. The 4 more recently added earthpods are built with sustainable, ecological principles in mind whilst still being exceptionally comfortable and spacious, with wonderful views across the surrounding landscape.
The heart of Lewa House is a large elegant building with an open fireplace at one end where guests can relax during the day and mingle with a drink before dinner, and at the other is a large family dining table where the evening meals are served, hosted by Calum and Sophie Macfarlane.
There is a large shaded verandah extending away from the main house with a comfortable seating area from which you can enjoy a cool afternoon drink and soak in the very special atmosphere of Lewa House.
Beautiful shaded gardens surround the house and breakfast or lunch is often served on the lawn. The house also has a large swimming pool which overlooks a waterhole providing some of the best game viewing on Lewa!
Day 5 : Masai Mara
After a morning activity and breakfast you will be taken back to the airstrip for your flight down to the Masaai Mara. Your guide from Mara Nyika will be waiting for you at the airstrip and take you on a game drive to camp.
Masai Mara
It is no surprise that the Masai Mara ranks up near the top of most famous game reserves in the world. The land of the Mara is consistently covered with herds of antelope, interspersed with prides of lions, journeys of giraffe, dazzles of zebra, and almost every other collective animal noun you can think of.
The sightings are nothing short of fantastic, and it is definitely the park to visit to tick off your "wildlife of Africa" list. The scenery of the park is similar to the open plains of the Serengeti, although the Mara is dotted with more trees, and the game viewing is equal to, or can be better than, its southerly sister.
Within the boundaries of the reserve, there are certain areas which can seem quite crowded with travellers, although there are places to escape from the crowds, and enjoy the Mara in some exclusivity. Private concessions surround the Masai Mara, allowing more private safari experiences, and additional activities.
The Masai Mara is easily accessed from Nairobi, with a number of scheduled flights operated each morning and afternoon. It can also be reached by road, but be prepared that it can be quite a bumpy 6 hour drive, with sections being particularly broken up.
Mara Nyika Camp
Mara Nyika Camp, meaning “Large Plains or Great Plains,” is an intimate tented camp set in a valley and. a perfect location for your safari in Kenya. The camp tucked away under the treetop canopy straddles a small stream on the western side of the Naboisho Conservancy bordering the Maasai Mara.
Mara Nyika Camp and its light-coloured canvas suites are designed to sit under the canopy of umbrella thorn trees. All the suites offer guests unforgettable views out over the plains. Walkways from the guest suites to the main area evoke the feeling of a treehouse under canvas. The camp’s ethics and inspiration are one of exploration and adventure. Privacy is the key to Mara Nyika Camp. Privacy to live, think, explore, be romantic and be pampered – all the while with one of the most spectacular backdrops Africa can provide.
Mara Nyika Camp offers guests three luxury guest suites in addition to 2 x 2 bedroom family suites.
Guests staying at Mara Nyika Camp explore the private and exclusive 50,000-acre Naboisho Conservancy, the second largest conservancy in the greater Maasai Mara region. “Naboisho” means “coming together” in the Maasai’s Maa language and represents the 500 local landowners who established the conservancy. The conservancy model strives to conserve natural and cultural heritage, tourism, and livelihoods for the local communities. Each guest’s stay supports over 500 Maasai families with a sustainable livelihood and helps to ensure the conservation of this vital corner of the Maasai Mara eco-system.
Many guests opt to spend a few days at Mara Nyika Camp combined with a stay at our Mara Expedition Camp, Mara Toto Camp, Mara Plains Camp or the Mara Plains Jahazi Suite. This perfect safari in Kenya combination allows one to experience all three wildlife areas: the private Olare Motorogi and Naboisho Conservancies and the Maasai Mara Reserve. Each wildlife experience from our camps is unique and offers a different face to the incredible Maasai Mara ecosystem.
Day 6 - 8 : Masai Mara
Enjoy the activities at camp for the next three days. These include morning and afternoon game drives, night drives, cutural excursions and hot air ballooning (extra cost)
Day 9 - Day of Departure
After a final activity and breakfast you will be transferred back to the airstrip for your flight back to Nairobi.